The Wedding and the Ferret
by la2319
Summary: Bill's wedding gets some unwelcome guests. Oneshot HG pairing is hinted at. All and any critiscism will be hugged continually. Rated T just to be absolutely safe because of some death issues . . .


Everything happened at once.

They were exchanging rings when someone screamed, later they found out it had been Gabrielle, Fleur's sister.

In a second, most of the men in their old wooden chairs were alert; many with their wands already out.

Bill looked up, his eyes held a furious glint, Fleur looked ready to burst into tears; they had spent so much time on the wedding only to have it ruined.

Mrs. Weasley was consoling her at once, leading her into the Burrow, away from the worried looks and terrified faces.

It had been a beautiful morning, clear for the first day in a long time. It was now a dull shade of gray in the sky, a color brought on by the unwelcome guests.

Forgetting their broken alliance, Harry stepped in front of Ginny smoothly, like it was automatic. For the first time in her life she didn't protest, as the army of Death Eaters came into view.

As if death itself had made an appearance, people were panicking. The men tried desperately to hold their ground, even her cousins tried to prove their worth to these intruders.

Every Weasley had pride, although not as much as any Malfoy. This pride ran through their veins, gave them reason to protect their friends and family. It told them to keep going when times got rough.

They came as a mass of hooded creatures, barely looking human in their masks. Harry heard Ginny gasp almost inaudibly, a sharp intake of breath that came back out as a whimper.

She bit her red lips, a habit she had when she was scared or nervous. She'd been doing it a lot lately. Harry looked back at her, emerald eyes meeting chocolate eyes. He couldn't read her expression at all.

He wasn't sure if he was glad for that, or if he was desperately afraid. Did he want to know if she was going mad with panic on the inside? Not that she'd ever show any fear to him.

To Ginny, he was a brick wall. Unafraid; an unending source of courage and bravery. She was trying to show him that she could be just as invincible.

The real truth was that he was bloody terrified of the future. If he had any future at all, that was. He was Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could be brave for all these people.

Several of the women were running to the house, or disaparating, others getting out their wands. Ginny's jaw was set though, and he knew she wouldn't run.

"Good luck." She whispered as he stepped forward, her old coldness forgotten, and he nodded to her warmly before running towards the combating witches and wizards. Many spells were immediately aimed at him, but Harry wasn't stupid, and she knew he could take care of himself.

Ginny watched him run towards the fight, before stepping forward herself, realizing she was the only one left not fighting. Hermione was already battling one of the hooded terrors.

She stared out at the massive battle, looking for someone, anyone, who needed her help.

"Looking for me?" A cold voice was behind her, they were still farther away than all of the others. There was no one to help her now.

She made herself turn and face him, with the strongest expression she could manage. Seeing him again sent chills down her spine, and she gripped her wand tighter, her knuckles turning white in the effort.

"I thought you would be dead." She narrowed her eyes, anticipating his attack, watching his eyes flick down to her clenched hand.

"Well, do I look like I'm dead?" He laughed maliciously, and she raised her wand just the slightest bit higher.

They were mere feet away from each other, his wand pointing at her neck, her wand pointing at his chest. She couldn't see his expression behind the black mask that covered his face.

"You're going to kill me." It wasn't a question, she didn't even want to hear the answer, but she knew if she got him ranting she could stall him, catch him off guard.

She almost wanted Harry to come back, to be her shield, to block this monster from her view. The boy behind this particular mask had grown to look like his father. They would be identical when he got older. He looked like the man that had ruined her childhood, and her innocence.

This thought brought out more fury and she held onto her wand even tighter, if possible.

"No, I'm not going to kill you." There was a softness to his voice; but he obviously knew something she didn't, and he was glad he had the upper hand.

His answer confused her immensely, almost making her drop her wand in surprise. If he wasn't going to kill her . . . then what was he doing?

"Ginny!" Hermione was running toward her. A moment ago she'd wanted someone to come to her aid more than anything, but now she wished Hermione could disappear.

"Hermione, no!" she yelled, but Malfoy was faster. Muttering the curse under his breath, a jet of green light escaped the tip of his wand.

This was the only moment that seemed to slow down, it was sickening, the light enveloped Hermione like it was hugging her, a loving gesture almost. Hermione looked for a moment as if it would just bounce off of her, not make any difference.

Ginny knew so much better though. Hermione crumpled forward to the ground, a surprised expression on her face, even in death. "NO!"

His wand was pointed at her again; in her remorse she had missed her chance to stun him. It could have been over, she could have gotten back for everything he'd caused them. But she'd been stupid. Might as well accept defeat.

"Say goodbye to your little family, Weasel, you'll never see them again."

She saw each of her brothers in her mind, making a tear slipped down her cheek and he seemed to hesitate. Was this the same person that had just ended her friend's life? But he was glaring at her again, ready to fight, her wand laying limp and useless at her side.

She pictured herself standing there in her pale gold bridesmaid dress and she could have almost laughed, but was afraid that if she did she would throw up. That would make a pretty picture.

No one had even noticed Hermione's death, Ron was still fighting, she could see him, he had a gash on his cheek but curses were flying out of his wand. Fred and George were near him, and she smiled as she saw all the men in her family sticking together. Except Percy.

Percy had never come back to them, hadn't even accepted his invitation to the wedding. Ron had been furious when they'd gotten it back, unopened, but Ginny had expected it.

She picked out Harry, turning round and round, fighting the endless sea of Death Eaters coming his way. Every one of them wanted to hurt the great Harry Potter. They wanted him to suffer, to pay for what he'd done to them as a baby.

It wasn't fair that all of this fell onto him, he shouldn't have to go through all of this.

"Expelliarmus!" she screamed with renewed hatred for this scum, but he blocked her simple spell with a flick of his wand.

She blew a stray piece of hair back from her face, taking her stance once more.

"Sectumsempra!" again, with a simple flick of his wand her spell was diverted. There was a wild glint in his eye as he connected the spell she'd just uttered to the very one Harry had used on him.

He sneered at her, watched her think over every spell she'd ever learned for combat. Nothing seemed to work!

Ginny cried out in frustration as he blocked spell after spell that she threw at him.

"Crucio." He smiled at Ginny as she screamed out in pain, an involuntary reaction. She hated the pleasure he got from her screams, the joy from her pain. After what seemed like centuries, he lifted the curse and asked her, "Had enough yet?"

"No!"

Ginny realized she was on the ground, and felt as though someone had placed the jelly legs jinx on her as she tried to stand up. Her knees were shaking, it seemed a struggle just to stand, and as she looked down she could see that her hands were shaking as well.

"Cruc—"

"Will you just give up?" Draco's eyes flashed beneath his mask.

"Never," her voice shook almost as much as her knees, but she straightened her back and stood with as much dignity as she could. "I'll never be weak around you again."

She saw another body fall in the crowd, one with a black cape and mask.

For a moment Harry glanced at her, eyes widening at the sight of Draco Malfoy, and then in a second he was by her side.

She was almost spiteful towards herself for needing Harry's protection, for being weakened by this sick maniac.

Malfoy's wand was almost touching Harry's chest, she wanted to whisper to him to be careful. Draco was muttering under his breath, not exactly the brightest when it came to nonverbal spells. Harry was too quick for him though, and had a magical shield up before the red light even came out of Draco's wand.

"You think you're so special." Draco sneered at him, removing his mask. "Protecting your little _girlfriend_."

He sneered at Ginny, his lip curling into a snarl that was anything but friendly. She tried to meet his gaze, stare him down, but Draco's eyes were burning into hers with such hatred that made her turn her face away.

"Save it, Malfoy." Harry muttered as Draco blocked one of his jinxes. The Death Eater mask was thrown to the side, carelessly tossed away to give him better sight in combat.

His and Draco's wands were producing lights of all different colors faster than she could figure out what spells they were throwing at each other.

Draco's lips were moving quickly, Harry watched his movements, observing every move until—

Draco slumped forward, hit in the stomach with some spell Ginny wasn't familiar with. Harry stunned him quickly, and kicked him aside.

She almost laughed in relief, it felt so wrong to be so glad someone was lying face down in the mud. Harry took her into his arms, pulling her into his chest, shielding her from everything and everyone.

Harry and Ginny held onto each other for a second, but only in the moment he had before returning to the on-going fight still occurring on the Burrow's grounds.

Ginny was on the verge of screaming yet again as she was left with this murderer. Her lip quivered as she looked at the boy who had tried to ruin her life. However, she was much braver with him when he was no longer a threat.

It somehow gave her joy, seeing him like this. She turned him over gently, still seeing the hatred in his eyes.

His features were still frozen in an angry glare, but his eyes were pleading, almost telling her that he didn't want it to end this way.

The thing that hurt the most was that she believed he was expecting her to do it. Even if she didn't like him, it still pierced her heart to watch as he accepted defeat.

The green light rushed forward like it had when he had cast the spell, but it smothered him instead of taking his life gracefully as it had Hermione's.

His eyes now stared up at her lifelessly, almost looking softer in death than they ever had during life.

She rolled up his sleeve carefully.

Draco's skin was already getting colder, telling her that she'd done the spell right. The dark mark contrasted his ghostly pale arm, almost glowing in the afternoon light.

Suddenly she felt her anger at him wash over her entire body.

She touched Draco's mark, caressing the snake's head, before spitting to his dead figure, "Traitor."

She picked up the mask and, with a quick spell, vanished it to her bedroom.

Leaving him to rot there in the flower beds, she turned into the battle and threw her curses mercilessly, fighting for all that had died, and all that had yet to lose their life for this stupid, stupid war.


End file.
